Downsizing is socially desirable – and saves money on bills

As the rates of under-occupation continue to increase and energy bills are higher than they have been any previous winter, saving money on bills can be a persuasive argument to encourage greater downsizing. Alec Haglund, IF Researcher, discusses some of the key points of the recently published IF report “Downsize your energy bills”.

COP27: The (so far) missed opportunity to protect the UK economy

With COP 27 not far over the horizon, IF researcher Sylvan Lutz considers the implications of the UK government’s current climate policy. Assessing the UK government’s negotiating power at COP27, the broader environmental impact of its policies, and the long-term consequences for future generations, he argues that COP27 is an opportunity to speed up the… Read more »

The mounting crises for young people on the PM’s desk

As Liz Truss settles in to 10 Downing Street IF’s Digital Campaigns Officer, Liam Hill, considers what is top of the list of priorities for the new Prime Minister, and what ought to be higher on the list. Energy: the big one Last week, the government announced a plan to freeze energy bills for consumers… Read more »

Prime Minister, we need a massive shift towards renewable energy

Alec Haglund, IF Researcher, argues that instead of appealing to the fossil fuel industry with the promise of more fracking and drilling in the North Sea, the new government should take this opportunity to massively invest in renewable energy sources. A crisis on many fronts As we are facing an unprecedented cost-of-living emergency as well… Read more »

An ‘everything crisis’: how we can overcome multiple challenges by solving the housing crisis

Rents are at the highest they have ever been, property prices continue to soar and young people and low- and middle-income workers also face a cost-of-living crisis. Simultaneously we are facing other crises ranging from the environment to mental health. Alec Haglund, IF Researcher, argues that by solving the housing crisis it would be possible… Read more »

Becoming good ancestors

What will it take for generations alive today to become better ancestors, asks writer and campaigner Jonathon Porritt. Tackling the climate crisis, of course, but changing how we live our lives and prioritising the future is also vital. Running out of time The vast majority of parents would hope that they’re doing everything they can… Read more »

The search for nuclear waste repository sites: an incredibly momentous decision

Jörg Tremmel is a Co-founder of Germany’s Foundation for the Rights of Future Generations. Milena Weber is a student of Global Environmental and Sustainability Science and Political Science at Leuphana University in Lüneburg, while also working for FRFG. In this joint piece, they look at how the German government is approaching the storage of nuclear… Read more »

On Borrowed Time: who pays for Net Zero, and when?

A new IF report, entitled “On Borrowed Time”, produced in collaboration with the Social Market Foundation, launches today. John Hobby, co-author and IF Researcher, explains how the report tackles the economic and moral questions involved in thinking about intergenerationally fair ways to share the costs of the Net Zero transition between current and future generations.… Read more »

COP26: Global governance vs. individual action. Who is responsible for climate change?

As awareness of the damaging impact of climate change increases, there is a growing agreement that our current ways of life are unsustainable, and to tackle climate change we will need collective behavioural change on a global scale. However, the question is whether this change should come from government policy or from individuals voluntarily changing… Read more »